The Eleventh Hour
by Aini NuFire
Summary: Apocalypse Wars, Episode 9 - It's a race to get the last Seals, but Michael has plans of his own.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Here we are at the climax of this series! Only two more episodes, and this one's got three chapters.**

* * *

THEN

 _"Well, look at you. Captain of your own garrison now. Congratulations."_

 _Anna couldn't help the quirk of a smile as she turned to Gabriel. "I hope to fulfill my duty with all honor and glory."_

 _The archangel snorted and waved a flippant hand. "Save the pomp and circumstance for Michael. Seriously, kid, you'll be great."_

 _Anna beamed at the praise, coming from him. She hoped so._

 _…_

 _Her garrison began making a name for themselves with their prowess in battle. She was proud of them, proud of their work and devout commitment._

 _She didn't know that drawing acclaim would also draw closer attention in the worst way imaginable._

 _…_

 _Anna stormed into Zachariah's chambers. "Why was Castiel removed from the field?"_

 _The seraph gave her a confused look. "He disobeyed orders."_

 _"He did not."_

 _Zachariah rolled his eyes. "Your garrison was ordered to wipe out the vampire colony in Mesopotamia. Castiel not only failed to complete the mission, he helped a group escape."_

 _"Those were humans. Blood slaves."_

 _"They were tainted. And orders are orders."_

 _"I was in command. I take full responsibility for my garrison's actions."_

 _"Unless you were the one who gave him the order to help those vermin escape, you're not the one who needs re-education," Zachariah replied blithely. But he paused to narrow his gaze darkly on her. "Were you?"_

 _Anna gritted her teeth at the threat. If it spared Castiel, she would say that was what happened. But she also knew with sinking certainty that it wouldn't make Zachariah spare him. Nothing would._

 _She spun on her heel and left._

 _…_

 _Anna rapped softly on the door before pushing it open a few inches. The 'recovery' room Castiel had been transferred to was more like a cell of cold, sterile walls. There was a single cot in the middle, but Castiel wasn't on it; he was huddled in the corner, dressed in a simple tunic with knees drawn up to his chest and head pressed against the wall. His pallor was as pale as the panels._

 _Anna's heart clenched. "Castiel."_

 _She swept around the foot of the bed and crouched down beside him, yet when she reached a hand out, he flinched away. Anna froze._

 _"P-please don't," he said in barely above a whisper, and ducked his gaze in what looked like shame. "It hurts."_

 _Anna furled her fingers into a fist. She could feel the waves of pain radiating from Castiel's grace. Whatever this 're-education' had entailed, it had left him flayed and raw. Why hadn't a healer been sent in? Was the recovery as much a part of the punishment as the torture?_

 _Anna wanted to scream at the cruelty Zachariah had condoned. But there was no one to listen. Gabriel…Gabriel would have, were he still alive._

 _Castiel shivered. Anna pulled the thin blanket off the cot and carefully draped it over him. She hesitated, but then risked reaching up to softly brush some strands of damp hair away from his forehead. He closed his eyes._

 _"I know it hurts, but if you can stand, I'll take you back to my quarters." It would be more comfortable than this prison._

 _Castiel seemed to be focused on breathing for several moments, but then he nodded. Anna tried to be gentle as she helped him up._

 _Somehow, she had to make sure this never happened again._

 _…_

NOW

Gabriel leaned back in his leather chair, feet propped up on his desk, and sucked on a lollipop as he tapped into the bug he'd planted in Heaven's throne room. That had been quite a feat, given the last time he'd set foot there, dear old Michael had tried to murder him.

But Gabriel had managed it. Too bad most of the conversations he got to overhear were just Michael and Raphael bitching about this and that. Demons taking over Utah. Losing ground against Hell's legions in Iowa. Lucifer being a coward and refusing to show himself so Michael could take him out. Honestly, what did they expect from the _flippin_ ' Apocalypse? Everyone to line up and let themselves get knocked down like good little dominoes? And they called Gabriel delusional with his ideals.

 _"We need to retrieve our two Seals,"_ Michael said abruptly.

Gabriel jerked his feet off the desk as he straightened. Hey now.

 _"Before the rebel faction manages to get to them."_

 _"You can't think they'd actually find where we've hidden them,"_ Raphael responded. _"Or that they could succeed in re-Caging Lucifer even if they did."_

 _"I'm not willing to risk it. Send for Zachariah. I'll tell him where to find the one I hid."_

 _"You're not going to retrieve it yourself?"_

 _"No. I have another matter to see to. The rebel garrison is becoming more than just annoying. This little crusade they're waging is starting to cause doubt among the faithful."_ Michael paused, tone turning dark and thoughtful. _"But I know how to get to our troublesome little brother—I know where the pagan goddess Kali is hiding."_

Gabriel's spine snapped ramrod straight. _What_?

He could practically hear Raphael's sneer. _"What good will that vermin be?"_

 _"Gabriel was fond of her,"_ Michael replied. _"And he was her paramour. But I'm sure that after some torture, she'll help us locate him, maybe even draw him out."_

Gabriel sat there in stunned stupefaction, his sticky lollipop having fallen on the exquisite Turkish rug. Kali was still alive? He'd thought all the pagan deities had perished when they'd tried to launch an assault against Heaven in protest of the Apocalypse. Though if anyone could survive, it would be the goddess of Death and Doom herself.

But now she was in danger.

Gabriel bolted from his chair and out into the hallway, making for the main war room. His mind was awhirl trying to process everything he'd heard, and there wasn't much time to plan a response.

"Line up!" he shouted, doing a quick mental count of who was here. Only half of the garrison, and he couldn't wait in order to call everyone back.

"What's going on?" Anna asked urgently.

"I found the last two Seals," he replied. "Or, well, I know who's going to lead us to them. But we have to move now. Anna, Balthazar, Inias, you're going to follow Zachariah the moment he leaves Heaven. Michael's tasked him with retrieving a Seal." Gabriel turned to who was left, and his stomach tightened. "Muriel, Hester, Castiel, you'll follow Raphael to the other."

Each of them gave clipped nods of assent, ready to follow orders.

Gabriel should go with them, he knew he should. Raphael was an archangel and they'd need the extra backup, not to mention Castiel had only recently recovered from an injury that should have been fatal.

But Michael was also going after Kali, and Gabriel had to save her. He had walked out on his adopted family once; he wasn't going to do it again. Yet he couldn't risk his blood brothers and sisters, either.

"Listen to me," Gabriel said sternly. "You grab that Seal and _run_. Do _not_ engage Raphael, understand?"

The three of them nodded, though with small frowns.

"Where are you going?" Hester asked.

Gabriel felt a pang of guilt. "I have to act on another thing Michael said." He spun toward Anna's group. "Same goes for you. Just get the Seal and get out."

Anna lifted her chin. "We will. Good luck."

Gabriel drew in a deep breath, and swept one last quick gaze around at them all. "Good luck."

With that, they all made their way toward the door to file out of the pocket dimension, and from there they slipped into the ethereal plane and headed for Heaven's gates to wait for their targets to leave.

Zachariah was first, and Anna's group quickly zipped into the celestial current behind him. Next came Raphael, and Gabriel watched Castiel, Muriel, and Hester chase after him, though keeping enough of a distance so as not to alert the archangel. Gabriel prayed they wouldn't.

When Michael finally came through, Gabriel squared his shoulders and dove after him. He would not let his tyrannical older brother take anyone else from him.

* * *

Sam made his way through the elongated arch and into the main war room of the angel compound, which was uncharacteristically empty. There were always missions going on, but usually someone was manning the home base.

"Hello?" he called.

He peeked into the sparring room off to the right, but no one was in there. And though he and Dean had been by more often lately to visit Cas when he was recovering from nearly dying, Sam didn't quite feel comfortable enough to just go poking around the place.

"Is anyone here?"

Shuffling from one of the back corridors drew his attention as Hael came out.

"Hey," he said. "Where is everyone?"

"They got a lead on the final Seals," she replied.

Sam blinked. After all this time…well, they were due for a win. "That's great."

Hael nodded. "I'm sorry, I don't know when Castiel or Gabriel will be back."

"That's okay. I actually, uh, came to talk to you."

She furrowed her brow. "Me?"

"Yeah." Sam shifted his weight. "Um, I was wondering if you can heal old human injuries, like a severed spinal cord."

Hael's forehead creased further in thought. "I should be able to. Why?"

Sam felt a thrum of hope begin vibrating in his chest, and he was a little peeved at himself for not thinking of this sooner. But it was only recently that he'd seen first hand how a healer angel's power worked, and that it wasn't the same way as when Cas had healed him, thereby bonding his grace to Sam, and Dean before that.

"Would you be willing to come to Camp Chitaqua to see a friend of mine?" he asked. "He was in an accident several months back, lost the use of his legs."

Hael looked surprised, but not resistant. "Oh, alright." She glanced around the empty base, and Sam realized she was probably the only one here.

"Do you need to stay and man the fort while everyone's gone?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No. I should just leave a note." She headed over to the map table and rifled through the stacks of paper before tearing a piece off one and scribbling out a message. "Let me just stick this in the infirmary," she said.

Sam waited until she came back, and then they headed out the door and back into a woodland area. Camp Chitaqua was a ten-minute walk from there.

They made the trek in silence, though Sam spent the time trying to think of a way to strike up a conversation with Hael. She really was very nice, but quiet and almost shy. She was a devoted healer with a compassionate heart, and that was really all Sam knew about her.

They reached the campgrounds, and Sam led the way to Bobby's cabin where he happened to find Dean and Ellen with the older man, going over camp business.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt," Sam said. "Hael, that's Ellen, and this is Bobby. Guys, this is Hael."

Ellen and Bobby gave acknowledging nods to the angel.

Dean raised his brows in question. "What's going on?"

"I brought her to see Bobby," Sam replied, casting a tentative look at the man.

Bobby's gaze narrowed. "What for?"

Hael had cocked her head slightly, studying him. The armrests of the wheelchair were visible behind the desk he was sitting at.

Sam rolled his shoulder. "To heal you."

Dean's eyes widened in understanding, and Sam could see the moment his brother mentally kicked himself for not thinking of it also.

Bobby crossed his arms. "No offense, but I don't want an unnatural bond with an angel."

"Bobby!" Sam admonished, feeling somewhat stung. He didn't think the older hunter had such feelings against his and Dean's bond with Cas.

"I'm a healer by design," Hael replied, seemingly not offended. "That's what my powers are suited for. It won't create any kind of link between us if I healed you."

Bobby still looked skeptical. "You're sure?"

"Bobby, come on," Dean pressed. "Even if it did create a bond, what's so wrong with that if it means you can walk again?"

"It may be fine and dandy for you two," the man scowled. "But I'd prefer to keep myself to myself."

"I understand," Hael put in quickly. "And yes, I'm sure."

"Bobby," Ellen said, sounding breathless with rising hope. "Let her."

He flicked a defensive look at each of them before huffing loudly. "Alright, fine." Bobby backed his wheelchair up and wheeled his way around to the front. "Is it gonna hurt?"

Hael smiled. "No."

"That, we can confirm," Dean put in.

"So how's it work?" Bobby grumbled.

"If you could lie on the bed," Hael said, gesturing to the small mattress.

Bobby wheeled over to it and then lifted himself out of the chair, having to manually shift his legs onto the bed. He then laid back against the pillow. "'Kay, now what?"

Hael went over and knelt down next to the bed. "Now just relax and breathe normally."

Sam watched as she held her hands out over Bobby and closed her eyes. A bluish-white glow began to emanate from her palms, tendrils of grace spreading out into a gossamer butterfly. Bobby tensed, but held himself rigidly still.

Sam and Dean had seen her do this before, so it wasn't a new sight, though Sam still found it beautiful. Ellen's face was alight with the reflected glow and suspended awe.

Hael's butterfly broke into half a dozen smaller ones that fluttered their way in a spiral around Bobby's lower back and thighs, and Sam could practically envision them mending the severed nerve endings.

It was a slow process, but Sam knew not to think that meant anything was wrong or that it wasn't working. When Bobby's shoe twitched, Sam grinned.

After several long minutes, Hael finally retracted her grace, and the lavender tinged aura faded. She stood up and backed away.

Bobby blinked dubiously several times before sitting upright and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. His jaw dropped open in disbelief, and he gaped stupidly at his own legs as he waggled his feet.

Sam was beaming, as were Dean and Ellen.

Bobby finally lifted his stunned gaze to Hael. "Thank you," he said, tone softer than any Sam had ever heard from the grizzly man.

Hael gave him a small smile in return. "You're welcome."

Bobby surged all the way to his feet, then turned and swept Ellen up in his arms and swung her around. She laughed, but also smacked his shoulder to put her down.

"You know what this means, don't you?" Ellen said. "You now get a turn in the rotation to clean the septic tank."

"And chop firewood," Dean added with a cheeky grin.

"And you can get your own bath water from the well."

Bobby scowled good-naturedly. "I think I'd rather go on a demon hunt."

Sam just shook his head as he turned to Hael and lowered his voice. "Really, thank you," he said with all sincerity. She'd given Bobby back more than just the use of his legs, but a part of the older man's identity as a hunter and fighter, which in these times meant everything when it came to wanting to protect your loved ones. Now Bobby could do that again.

Hael blushed. "You saved my brother. I'm happy to help where I can."

Sam decided to ignore decorum, and reached out to pull her into a hug. Granted, he kinda swallowed the small angel whole, so he didn't embrace her for too long. But when he pulled back, she seemed surprised again, a hesitant smile quirking her lips.

Sam grinned back. Even when the world outside was ending, there were still miracles.

* * *

Castiel stealthily followed Raphael all the way to Karjiang, a mountain in Tibet. When the archangel exited the slipstream to alight on the summit, Castiel, Muriel, and Hester zipped out around the other side of some jagged rocks. The entire area was covered in snow, and Castiel ducked low, hoping his black attire would at least blend somewhat with the exposed mountain face. Muriel stayed down, too, though Hester's beige cargo pants and brown jacket might let her blend in a little more.

They waited and watched as Raphael stalked around the peak as though looking for something. He finally stopped in front of a boulder and held a hand out over it. Castiel saw the air ripple in response. He tensed, prepared to fly at a moment's notice to retrieve the Seal.

Another angel slipped out of the ethereal currents to land behind Raphael. Castiel recognized the grizzly appearance and dark hair as Malachi.

"Raphael, there's an urgent matter that needs your attention."

Raphael turned a dark gaze to the other angel. "I'm a little busy."

"I'm sorry, sir, it can't wait."

The archangel heaved an irritated sigh, but gave a sharp nod, and the two angels disappeared. Castiel exchanged an uncertain look with the others. What could be more important than the Seal? Though, if Raphael thought it was still safe, he might not have considered the errand so urgent.

Muriel stepped out from behind the rocks. Castiel's nerves were completely on edge, but he cautiously followed, as did Hester. Now was their chance.

Muriel approached the rock Raphael had been looking at. "There's a power signature here," she said. "A protective casing."

She waved her hand, and the air rippled again, like visible waves of magnetism repelling her from actually touching the stone.

Castiel cast an anxious look around, worried Raphael would return at any moment. "Can you get inside?"

Muriel drew out her angel blade. "I think so."

She raised the blade above her head and then drove the point down to pierce the invisible shield. A concussive force exploded outward, slamming into Muriel first, and then the shockwave hit Hester and Castiel. The impact drove the oxygen from his lungs before it flattened him and the others against the ground. Everything went white.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Check out 29-pieces-of-me's profile page on deviantart for a badass picture of Anna! I also have an angsty one shot I'll be posting this Wednesday.**

* * *

 **Part II**

Anna exited the ether and landed on Mount Kenya a couple hundred feet from the summit. Balthazar and Inias slipped out behind her, and the three of them crouched low among the craggy slope as they scanned the sky. They had followed Zachariah to Africa, but then the seraph had circled the peak and suddenly dropped out of sight.

"Do you think he spotted us?" Inias whispered.

"Or he's just being cautious," Anna replied. "Come on."

She crept forward on foot, the other two following as they carefully climbed toward the top. They were halfway there when Anna caught a glint of wispy white light down underneath a cleft in the rock to her right. She pulled up short, tensing for an attack, but only a small grace rabbit peeked out. Samandriel. He shook his head, eyes wide and long ears folded back.

"Wha—" Balthazar started, but Anna shot a hand up to silence him.

She looked up toward the peak, not yet able to see anyone up there. Turning back to Samandriel, she gave him a slow, measured nod, signaling she got the message and that he could run before he was caught warning them. The grace rabbit backed into the crevice and slipped away.

Anna stiffened at her next thought—if this was a trap, then Zachariah knew they'd be following him. He might have known from the beginning.

She spun toward Inias, lowering her voice urgently. "Get to the others and warn them. This whole thing might be a setup."

Inias's eyes rounded in alarm. "But we don't know where they went. How am I supposed to find them?"

" _Find_ a way. Or Raphael could kill them all."

Inias swallowed hard, but he took to the ether a second later.

"What are we going to do?" Balthazar asked.

Anna raised her eyes to the summit. "I'm going to do what we came here for—get that Seal. Wait here for my signal."

He shot a hand out to grab her arm. "I'm not a grunt in your garrison."

She wrenched away with a sharp glower. "Just _do_ it."

Balthazar's jaw tightened, but Anna turned her back on any further argument, and proceeded to climb the rest of the way toward the peak of the mountain.

There was hardly any place to hide all the way at the top, but she ducked down behind some jutting rocks to look around. There was no sign of Zachariah. Was the Seal even here, or was that a ruse, too?

No, now that she was closer, Anna could detect a power signature emanating from one of the rocks up near the very center of the mountain's formation. Well, there was nothing for it. She broke cover and cautiously made her way toward the boulder. The energy was getting stronger, and it was powerful. Archangel grade.

Casting a guarded look around, Anna then leaned closer to inspect it. She reached out to run her hand over the surface, but was repelled by an invisible force. Ripples of energy refracted the air at the contact. Something was in there, something that had been set in stone a long time ago.

Which meant that even if Zachariah was out there waiting to pounce, Anna needed to get this Seal.

She drew out her angel blade, evaluating the barrier. Celestial steel would pierce it, but she decided a precaution might be in order. Anna extended her grace around her in a protective film, just in case. Then she raised her blade above her head and drove the point down into the stone.

The casing exploded, throwing her backward onto the ground and coursing over her grace like fire. She would have screamed had the oxygen not been punched from her lungs. Instead, she writhed on the ground in spasms as the power washed over the grace she'd erected as a shield, burning as it went. It extinguished quickly enough, but it left her panting in ragged breaths.

A polished shoe suddenly appeared in her peripheral vision, and she forced her head up. Zachariah was there, canting his head at her in a considering moue.

"Michael was right," the seraph mused. "That thing packs quite the punch. Thank you for opening it for us."

He half turned to the broken granite and reached inside, picking up a small medallion. The Seal.

* * *

Gabriel kept his distance as he tailed Michael, the older archangel banking and veering in circuitous paths in and out of the Great Lakes region. For someone who'd proclaimed to know where Kali was hiding, Michael sure seemed to be engaging in more of a grid search pattern. And not only that, but all the way out here wasn't exactly a place that fit Kali's style.

Though, maybe that was the point: hide somewhere no one would think to look for her. Gabriel felt a pang of regret that she hadn't tried to reach out to him. He could have helped her. But why would she want anything to do with Loki, the Trickster who had abandoned them all? And of course Gabriel would have had to tell her who he really was, and that was a conversation not likely to be taken well. But he was done running.

Michael suddenly swooped down toward a cabin along the shoreline, flying straight in. A moment later someone let out a bloodcurdling scream.

Gabriel dove for the ground, landing just outside and kicking in the cabin door with a force that shook the walls. He'd been prepared to storm in like a knight in shining armor, gallant and brave in a way that might redeem himself in Kali's eyes.

But neither of the cabin's two occupants appeared surprised to see him. Not Michael, who stood there unperturbed. And not the human woman whose eyes were burned out, already dead by an archangel's divine smiting. Michael let the body drop to the floor with a thud.

Gabriel gaped in dumbfounded confusion. There was no one else in the cabin. Michael was staring at him blandly.

"Where is she?" Gabriel demanded, advancing fiercely.

"You mean your little pagan whore?" Michael said, traces of smugness beginning to seep through his calm exterior. "Dead, Gabriel. She's been dead this whole time."

Gabriel pulled up short. What? But…Michael had said…he'd come out here looking for her.

The older archangel let out a small snort at the flabbergasted expression that had slackened his face.

"Did you think I wouldn't find your little bug, Gabriel?"

He felt the blood in his veins turn to ice. Kali wasn't here. Michael had been lying about knowing where to find her, lying about her even still being alive. This was a trap.

Except…the two of them were alone out here. There was no army of soldiers prepared to try to take Gabriel down. And if Michael hadn't been searching for Kali, then this whole time flying back and forth had been a _distraction_. For him.

Michael had known about the listening device…which meant every word he'd said had been carefully delivered.

The trap wasn't for Gabriel.

Michael's eyes glinted as he watched realization set in.

Gabriel spun to leap back into the ether and get back to the others, but he'd barely entered the slipstream before Michael grabbed him from behind and yanked him back out. The other archangel swung him around and flung him straight through the cabin wall. Wood splintered and cracked from the impact, and Gabriel collided with the ground in a shower of debris.

Michael stormed toward him. "You've always been a menace, little brother, but a fondly tolerated one. Lately, however, you've been a thorn in my side as bad as Lucifer."

Gabriel scrabbled to get up, but Michael threw a punch so hard it knocked him back down. He tried to roll out of the way.

"I'm going to take care of both of you," Michael continued, reaching down to grab a fistful of his jacket and haul him back up, only to fling him around and into a tree.

Pine needles sprinkled down on his head. Gabriel coughed and wheezed from having the wind knocked out of him, and frantically leaped into the celestial currents. But once again, Michael dove after him and grabbed his leg, hauling him back out. With a violent swing, Gabriel went flying into another tree, his spine cracking along with the trunk.

Michael stomped over again. "Always the coward. Running away. Sending others on missions to die."

 _No!_

Gabriel rolled and swung his leg up in an arc, clobbering Michael in the face. Mr. High-and-Mighty went down into the dirt. Gabriel grabbed a rock and tossed it at Michael's head. The stone glanced off his skull, eliciting a pained grunt and momentarily distracting him. It was all Gabriel needed. He took to the ether.

With a burst of light, Gabriel completely transformed into his grace animal. The great eagle dove through the celestial currents with a speed Michael couldn't hope to catch. He spared a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure, but there was no enraged archangel on his tail.

Gabriel flapped his wings and turned toward the sky, flying as fast and as high as he could, all the way into the upper stratosphere. He then leveled out and glided back over the continents below. He had no idea where his people were, but if this was all an elaborate set-up, then they were probably fighting for their lives right now. Gabriel scanned for angelic signatures disturbing the atmosphere, and hoped to a father long gone that he wasn't too late.

* * *

Castiel's head was ringing as he struggled to regain his feet. Nearby, Hester was also pushing herself up onto her hands and knees, but Muriel remained sprawled on the ground, eyes closed and head lolling back and forth dazedly. There was a small pop, and Castiel blinked specks from his vision as Raphael and Malachi appeared.

Raphael strode straight for the rock formation that had been blown open when Muriel struck it. The archangel reached inside and pulled out the Seal, which he quickly palmed. He turned to Malachi.

"Dispose of the traitors."

The other angel's grizzly face cracked into an eager grin, and he took a step toward them. Castiel tried to stagger upright; his balance was off and his grace was tingling from whatever power source had erupted upon breaking the Seal's casing. Both he and Hester were wobbly on their feet. And Muriel still wasn't getting up.

A flash of light split the air and Inias came careening out of the ether, running straight at Malachi to intercept him. The brutish angel was quick on his feet, though, and grabbed at Inias to use his momentum to fling him around and into the side of a cleft. Inias hit the ground under a shower of snow.

Hester's grace exploded with a roar of fury, her iridescent polar bear rippling around her and massive paws slamming down on the ground hard enough to shake the mountain.

Malachi's mouth merely curved upward in anticipation, and his grace billowed around him, snaking out in bluish-white bands to form a komodo dragon. With another bellow, Hester charged, and the two beasts met head on with a clash of lightning and thunder.

Castiel scrambled toward Muriel and dragged her safely out of range. Inias stumbled over to them. Castiel didn't have time to ask what the angel was doing here or how he'd found them.

"Stay with Muriel," he ordered, already summoning up his grace to help Hester.

His panther surged outward, and Castiel started toward where Hester and Malachi were locked in a vicious brawl. Malachi's grace animal managed to snap its jaws around Hester's paw and wrench her forward. While the komodo dragon held the polar bear, the man stepped forward and lashed a hand out to wrap around Hester's throat.

Castiel charged, his panther ramming its head into the komodo dragon's side. He then swiped a paw at the animal's flank, eliciting a screeching cry. Malachi jerked away from Hester, and Castiel ducked a swing aimed at him. Hester's bear roared and clubbed a hulking paw into the komodo dragon's head.

Malachi snarled and twisted back toward her. Castiel darted around to come in from behind, but before he could land another blow, a sharp beak dug into his back and tossed him aside. He hit the ground and rolled through the snow. When he looked up, Raphael was looming over him, the archangel's grace animal not fully unleashed, but his body wreathed in swirling, dark gold fire. Raphael raised a burning palm, outstretched toward Castiel, and he sucked in a sharp breath as static prickled down his spine.

Yet before the archangel could deliver the blow, a strident screech split the air, followed by a great golden eagle swooping down. Raphael immediately wrenched away and slipped into the ether. Castiel pushed himself to his feet just as Malachi also fled. Gabriel, rather than giving chase, landed on the mountain and transformed into his human shape, eyes wide and harried.

"Is everyone okay?" he asked frantically as he looked around at them. He spotted Muriel and rushed forward.

Castiel let his grace animal fold inward, as did Hester, and the two hurried over as well. Muriel was still only half conscious, her face scrunching up in pain as Inias cradled her head in his lap. Gabriel knelt down and held a hand out over her.

"It was a trap," Inias said. "Both places."

Gabriel's mouth was set in a tight line as though he'd already known that, but his frown deepened. "Where are Anna and Balthazar?"

"They stayed," Inias said helplessly. "I think Anna still wanted to try to get the Seal."

Castiel's gut clenched. If Zachariah was expecting them…

Gabriel straightened abruptly. "Castiel, Hester, get Muriel back to base. Inias, show me where Anna and Balthazar are."

The younger angel nodded, and Castiel quickly dropped down to take Muriel into his arms. Inias and Gabriel disappeared with a flash, and Castiel exchanged a grim look with Hester. He prayed Gabriel wouldn't be too late.

* * *

Anna glared balefully at Zachariah as he held the Seal up to examine it in the sunlight, a smug grin cracking his ugly mug. He dropped his gaze back to her.

"Don't tell me you came alone, Anna."

Gritting her teeth, she tried to prop herself up, aware that three more angels had emerged from hiding and were now surrounding her.

Zachariah tutted. "Pride always was a fault of yours. Thinking you alone can change the course of destiny."

She clenched a fist; she wasn't alone. And as long as Balthazar did what he was told, she wasn't yet beaten.

Zachariah tucked the Seal inside the pocket of his suit jacket. "I'm not surprised, though. You and the rest of those urchins who hold Gabriel in such high esteem have always been prone to this kind of behavior." He began to stalk around her. "But look where it's gotten you. And your fearless leader?" Zachariah chuckled. "Michael played him like a fiddle."

Anna launched herself at him. The move caught Zachariah off guard, but she was still weakened from the explosion that opened the Seal's casing, and didn't even manage to tackle him to the ground. But she clung to him for an extra beat before he grabbed a fistful of the back of her coat and easily threw her off. She hit the ground and rolled, tucking her arms in and landing with her back facing him.

Zachariah let out a derisive snarl. "And to think you used to be such a capable captain."

Anna slowly pushed herself upright and to her feet, then turned around. She raised her hand, pinching the Seal between her fingers.

Zachariah's eyes widened, and he lashed a hand down to pat his now empty pocket.

"Some might still call me capable," she said.

Zachariah's eyes hardened, but he spread his arms and tried to look unbothered. "Give the cat a cookie. But you're still not getting away." He flicked his gaze meaningfully over the angels surrounding her, and Anna knew he was right; there was no way out. Should she try to flee into the ethereal slipstream, they would just give chase and catch her easily, especially since she was still feeling a little woozy from that spell.

But then, her escape had never been the goal.

Anna closed her fist tightly around the Seal, mouth quirking smugly. She then spun sharply and chucked it off the mountain as hard as she could. The small object flew through the sky before a flash of bluish-white light zinged up and snatched it mid-air. The fox then banked away, fleeing across the desert. Anna lifted her chin. _Yes_.

She turned at the sound of Zachariah sputtering in disbelief for a split second before rage took over. He suddenly surged forward, a storm crackling in his eyes.

Though Anna knew it was futile, she wouldn't go without a fight. Her lynx erupted around her and swiped its claws at the advancing seraph. Zachariah merely unleashed his lion with so much force that Anna was knocked to the ground. She scrambled to her feet again anyway, biting and scratching at the bigger cat as it beat her down repeatedly. A massive paw slammed against her chest and pinned both her forms to the ground.

The other angels moved forward then and threw sigiled chains at her, two around her human arms and one around her cat's neck. The lynx yowled as its head was forced to the ground, the Enochian spell work searing into its grace. Zachariah's lion stepped back, and more chains were tossed across Anna's body. She was roughly flipped over, celestial steel encircling her human form and cinching tightly. A cry tore from her throat as her grace was locked down, her lynx forced to dissipate into mist. Yet she continued to struggle as she was hauled to her feet.

Zachariah's eyes were still blazing as he lashed out to grab her roughly by the chin. "It's about time your sorry ass was dragged back to Heaven. And who knows, maybe after a couple dozen rounds of re-education, there might be a captain left over worth salvaging."

Anna's blood turned to ice in her veins, but she held her head up staunchly and steeled herself. It was worth it. It had to be.

She held onto that hope as she was whisked away.


	3. Chapter 3

**Part III**

Sam walked Hael back to the angel compound. "Thank you, again," he said when they reached the door.

She quirked a confused look at him. "You really don't have to keep saying that."

He huffed out a small laugh. "I guess it still gets me sometimes, that there are _angels_ watching over us."

Hael's expression softened. "Well, I want to thank you as well. For giving me the chance to be what angels were meant to be—shepherds. It's…it's been a long time, since we were encouraged to be that."

Sam gave her a small smile. "Guess we'll have a lot to change when we rebuild the world, both above and below, huh?"

Her lips curved upward. "I look forward to that." She reached to open the door into the pocket dimension. "I hope the others were able to get the last two Seals."

Oh yeah, Sam had almost forgotten about that.

"Mind if I come in and see if they're back?" he asked. "Or if they're not, I could wait with you…" he offered, remembering that Hael had been left alone in the compound.

She looked surprised for a moment. "Oh, of course."

As it turned out, the compound wasn't empty when they entered, for running footsteps came pounding through one of the back corridors.

"Hael!" Hester shouted. "Where have you been? We need you!"

Sam's adrenaline spiked as Hael's face drained of color.

"What's happened?"

Hester was already pivoting and storming back through the passage toward the infirmary. Sam and Hael hurried after her. Sam pulled up short at the sight of Cas leaning over Muriel, who was lying on one of the cots. Hael rushed to her side, taking Cas's place as he stood to get out of the way.

"What happened?" Sam asked quietly as Cas came to stand next to him.

Cas shook his head. "It was a trap. There was some kind of spell encasing the Seal, and it hit Muriel the hardest. Raphael got the Seal."

Shit. Did that mean they'd completely lost on that front? Sam didn't want to ask, though, not right now. He and Cas lapsed into silence as they watched Hael work on healing Muriel.

A few minutes later they heard a commotion from the front of the compound, and Sam followed Cas and Hester out to the war room where Gabriel, Balthazar, and Inias had come in. Sam was relieved to see they looked okay.

"Where's Anna?" Castiel asked sharply.

The three angels exchanged grim looks.

"Captured," Gabriel finally said.

Sam frowned. "By who?"

"Zachariah," Balthazar spat.

Gabriel's shoulders drooped in abject devastation. "I was too late. They'd already taken her back to Heaven."

Cas's expression blanched in horror. "No."

"We got the Seal, though," Balthazar continued venomously, and pulled out a small medallion that he tossed angrily on the map table. "So, good on us."

"We have to go after her," Cas said.

"That would be suicide," Hester interjected.

"But Cas said Raphael took the last Seal," Sam spoke up. "So wouldn't you have to go up there to get it anyway? And you can rescue Anna."

"Don't you get it?" Hester retorted. "We lost. The last Seal is beyond our reach now. It's over."

Sam crossed his arms, and tried not to take her sharp tone personally; he could see the grief on her face clearly enough, same as the rest of them. But they couldn't just give up. Yeah, he didn't really know how to process Heaven in terms of an enemy stronghold—he supposed he'd just always imagined it in the abstract, with fluffy white clouds—but, obviously, it couldn't be that simple. Still, if Cas had been able to sneak into Hell to rescue Dean, couldn't the angels do the same here?

Sam asked as much out loud.

Gabriel shook his head. "Hell is a realm, a landscape with individual outposts stationed throughout. Heaven itself is a fortress."

"I'll go," Balthazar said. "One person can sneak in and out."

"No," Gabriel snapped. "I won't risk anyone else."

"We can't just leave her there!"

"You getting caught won't help anyone."

"I don't plan on getting caught."

"Balthazar—" Gabriel growled, but suddenly cut off with a small gasp and squeezed his eyes shut.

Sam stiffened in confusion.

"Gabriel?" Cas called worriedly.

Gabriel didn't respond for several long moments, and Sam shot a questioning glance at the other angels, though no one answered it.

Finally, Gabriel straightened, expression slack with shock. "That was Michael."

Sam furrowed his brow. As in a message sent over a targeted prayer channel?

"Michael?" Hester repeated. "Why?"

"He wants to make a trade. Anna for the three Seals." Gabriel turned sharply and strode toward the table to snatch up the Seal that Balthazar had tossed over there.

Sam's brows rose dubiously. "You're going to hand them over?"

"Hester's right," Gabriel replied. "Three of the four don't do us any good." He moved to the corner cabinet and pulled out a small box, which he opened and turned upside down, dropping two more Seals into his palm. He then tucked them inside his aviator jacket. "And who knows, I might still find a way out of this."

"I'm going with you," Cas said.

Balthazar stepped forward. "Me too."

Gabriel's eyes flashed with the fierceness of a commander Sam guessed was rare to see from the normally laid-back archangel. "No."

"What's to stop Michael from killing you if you go alone?" Cas protested.

"I'm not that easy to kill," Gabriel said darkly. "Just wait here."

"Wait," Sam blurted. "Why would Michael want all the Seals? If they really are useless just the three of them?"

Gabriel paused, brow furrowing in thought for a moment. "I don't know. Assurances? Either way, this is probably the only chance I'm gonna have to get both Anna and the last Seal."

With that, he turned and headed out the door. Sam knew he was right, but he hated how rushed everything was, and he also thought it wasn't wise for Gabriel to go alone; even if he was an archangel, he'd still be outnumbered.

"Well, to hell with this," Balthazar groused, and started toward the door as well.

"Gabriel said to stay here," Hester called after him.

"If he gets himself killed, he can't court martial me," Balthazar replied flippantly. "And if he doesn't get killed, then I bloody don't care."

"If you're going to Heaven, I'm coming with you," Cas said, and made a move to follow.

Balthazar grinned.

Sam worried at his lip as he watched the two angels leave, and wished there was something he could do to help. But fighting on Heaven's soil seemed pretty much out of the human realm of possibility.

He turned and made his way back to the infirmary, deciding to see if Hael needed any help. Granted, Sam knew he couldn't offer much to her, either. But his friends were in trouble, and he wasn't going to leave now.

* * *

Gabriel landed in the outer courtyard of the Great Hall. This was his first time returning home in a few thousand years, and he was going to make an entrance. Storming toward the grand double doors, he grabbed the handles and swung them open with a resounding crack. Several heads whipped his way, eyes wide in shock. Gabriel was a crackling maelstrom of fury as he strode inside, sweeping past the stunned angels standing in the wings. Some recovered from their stupor and hardened their gazes into disdain. Gabriel knew Michael had poisoned many of them against him, probably called him the second Lucifer.

If he hadn't been in dire hurry, Gabriel might have stopped to grab a pitchfork on his way up.

He marched through the outer hall toward the inner doors and barged through them into the throne room. Michael and Raphael were waiting for him.

Gabriel came to a stop halfway into the grand chamber, which was otherwise empty. "Where is she?"

"Where are the Seals?" Michael countered.

Gabriel gritted his teeth, but reached into his pocket to pull out the three medallions. "I show you mine, you show me yours."

Michael regarded him for a beat, always the one who had to give the appearance that he was the big man in charge. He finally snapped his fingers. A vertical mirror hanging on the wall off to the left shimmered and then filled with an image of another room with sterile white tiles. In the center was a metal slab angled diagonally—with Anna strapped to it. Even from this distance, Gabriel could see she'd been beaten.

He shot Michael a wrathful glare. "Bring her here."

"You're not in control here, Gabriel," Michael replied blandly.

"The deal was an exchange—the Seals for Anna."

"I don't negotiate with terrorists."

Gabriel fought to keep his composure; he'd always known this was likely how things would go. "So you've proven yourself a liar once again."

Aware of the angels gathering at the doors just outside, Gabriel raised his voice. "The truth is whatever you say, right? Like how you told everyone I'd died. And then when I made a reappearance, you were quick to declare that I had abandoned Heaven, faked my death and turned my back on everyone. When you were the one who tried to murder me, right in this very room. I bet it was a shock for you, realizing I'd survived." Gabriel canted his head. "Does Raphael even know about that?"

By the slight furrow in the second archangel's brow, Gabriel suspected not. Not that it would change anything; Raphael always did follow Michael, no matter what. But Gabriel could hear subtle whispers rippling throughout the crowd outside. Dissent among the ranks.

"You're the one who has proven himself a traitor," Michael rejoined, taking a step forward. "Now give me the Seals, or…" He stretched a hand out toward the mirror, and Gabriel saw Zachariah step into view inside the room with Anna. The seraph grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her head back, exposing her throat. Zachariah pressed an angel blade against her skin.

"I am still amenable to granting mercy," Michael said. "I would even give you a quick and painless death. Or, I take the Seals off your corpse. And then every single rebel I track down will be crucified on the steps of Heaven's gates."

Gabriel was staring at the mirror. There was no sound, either because Anna was doing her best not to make any, or it just wasn't transmitting. He didn't know how he was going to get her out of this, or even how he was going to get himself out of this. Perhaps he should have known not to come to Heaven, right into Michael's trap, but he couldn't have abandoned his little sister. His brave, indomitable little sister.

The mirror vibrated as though it had been rattled, and Gabriel spotted two familiar figures in its background. Speaking of brave, indomitable, and _idiotic_ siblings…

Gabriel didn't know whether to be furious or touched. Either way, they now might have a chance.

He shifted his steely gaze back to the archangels, who were oblivious to the scene in the mirror behind them. "Michael, you great big bag of dicks—you're welcome to try."

* * *

Sneaking into Heaven wasn't as difficult as Castiel had been expecting. Though, that probably had to do with the fact that most of the angels were focused on Gabriel's appearance. There was quite a crowd of them gathered at the doors to the throne room.

Castiel and Balthazar zipped up into the balcony of the outer chamber in order to see through the doors from above. Gabriel was within, as were Michael and Raphael. Castiel couldn't see Anna, though, and his heart clenched with fear, but it was possible she was just off to the side and out of his line of sight.

Balthazar sucked in a sharp breath and grabbed Castiel's arm to tug him over a step. "On the wall," he hissed.

Castiel squinted at the mirror and the reflection it was casting. _Anna_.

But wait, something was wrong. Those walls weren't the same as the throne room…

Castiel's heart dropped into his stomach. He recognized that place.

Balthazar stood as though prepped to barge into the chambers, but Castiel grabbed his sleeve and yanked him back down.

"That's a projection; Anna's being kept elsewhere."

Balthazar swore under his breath. "We need to find her."

"I know where she is," Castiel said, voice low and hard with emotions the memory of that place evoked. "This way."

He backed away from the edge of the balcony and slipped into one of the corridors, Balthazar right behind him. It had been a while, but Castiel still remembered the passages to take—most of the angels knew them simply by virtue of knowing to _avoid_ them.

"What's down here, anyway?" Balthazar asked quietly.

"Re-education."

Balthazar quirked a brow as though about to ask how Castiel knew that, but then his expression slackened in understanding.

Castiel supposed it made sense Balthazar wouldn't have personal experience with this place. The other angel may have often been insouciant and borderline insubordinate, but he'd never _questioned_ or doubted orders. Only angels who began to think about wrong and right for themselves were sent here.

A strangled scream had them both pulling up short for a split second before bursting into an all-out run down the hall. There was a flicker of bright light from underneath one of the doors, and Castiel headed straight for it, skidding to a stop long enough to center his gravity and kick the door in with a resounding bang.

Zachariah whirled around, eyes nearly bulging with flabbergasted shock. He was holding a silver instrument with three prongs that were sizzling with electric blue squiggles. Castiel recognized it as the device that delivered a sort of bio electrical shock all the way through an angel's grace. There was a tray of other tools and an angel blade to the side. And just behind Zachariah, was Anna, strapped to a metal slab and writhing in contorted spasms.

"Get away from her," Castiel snarled, his own grace crackling along his silhouette.

Zachariah's eyes flashed blue back at him. "Make me."

There wasn't enough space to unleash his grace animal, so Castiel was forced to whip out his angel blade and charge. Zachariah parried the blow with the electric conductor, blue fizzling down the blade and into Castiel's hand. He dropped the hilt as though he'd been stung, and then Zachariah stabbed the prongs into his shoulder. Lightning ripped through him, tearing a cry from his throat as he crashed to the floor.

He heard Balthazar give a yell of rage and then Zachariah was turning away from him. Castiel gritted his teeth against his muscles seizing and fought to push the fire away. Balthazar yelled again, this time in obvious pain, and Castiel heard the crackle and sizzle of plasma. That device was attached to a conduit in the wall, so he shakily reached out a hand to wrap around it, and yanked.

The spitting sound spurted out, followed by Zachariah's snarl, and then a clatter of metal as he apparently threw the accoutrement away. Castiel pushed himself to his feet as the seraph spun back toward him, grace now rippling around his shoulders.

"You little maggot!" he seethed, lunging forward and grabbing Castiel by the front of his jacket, then slamming him back against the wall. Castiel head-butted him.

Zachariah stumbled back, cheeks puffing red and spittle flying from his mouth. His eyes blazed with ire and blue flames, and fiery grace began to pool around his hand, which he raised toward Castiel.

Balthazar scrambled across the floor and drove his blade through Zachariah's thigh. The seraph threw his head back with a scream.

Castiel threw himself to the ground to snatch up his blade. Just as he leaped to his feet again, Zachariah took that palm full of grace energy and threw it at Balthazar. It hit him square in the chest, propelling him across the floor to crash against the wall. Castiel charged, blade raised to strike. Zachariah twisted at the last second, and the blade sank into his shoulder instead of his heart.

A vicious roar rattled Castiel's eardrums, and then a hand had snapped around his throat. He gasped and frantically clawed at the unyielding arm.

"I will _end_ you," Zachariah growled. "Every last one of you."

Castiel's vision was going spotty as Zachariah shook him ferociously. The seraph raised a hand, once again channeling his grace for an offensive attack.

And then his eyes flew wide as the tip of an angel blade punched through the back of his throat. The grip around Castiel's neck loosened, and he staggered out of it. As he shifted, he spotted Anna right behind Zachariah, one arm freed from the slab's restraints and holding the blade that had pierced her torturer.

"Not while I'm still here," she hissed hoarsely in his ear, and then twisted the blade.

Blinding light exploded from Zachariah's mouth and eyes, and his grace animal howled as it erupted into a thrashing tangle of a lion's mane before shattering into sapphire dust. Anna let go of the hilt, and Zachariah's body dropped to the floor with a thud.

Castiel gaped at her for a stunned second before rushing forward, stepping over the dead seraph. "Anna!"

She sagged against his chest, forehead dropping against his shoulder. "You're here," she whispered.

He reached up to cup the back of her head. "Of course."

"That's pretty stupid, you know," she said, voice soft and frail in a way that made Castiel's chest constrict, yet still managing to sound chastising.

Balthazar regained his feet and staggered over, immediately reaching to undo the other restraints. "A stupid stunt deserves a stupid response," he retorted sharply.

Anna lifted her head just enough to look at him, eyes filled with glistening gratitude and apology. Once Balthazar released the last clamp, she slid to the floor, grunting when they both tried to support her. Castiel noticed that the hand she'd managed to free was red and torqued at an awkward angle.

Anna sucked in a sharp breath. "Gabriel."

Castiel frowned, then followed her gaze to a mirror on the far wall, the one that had given them a window into this chamber from the throne room. The throne room where Gabriel was currently having trouble fending off an attack of two archangels.

Castiel disengaged himself from Anna and bent to yank his blade out of Zachariah's shoulder. "Balthazar, get Anna out of here."

"I can fight," she protested.

Castiel cast her a quick glance; she was barely holding herself up. "Not this time." He nodded to Balthazar.

The other angel's jaw ticked with displeasure, but he gave a curt nod in return. Nobody got left behind.

Gripping his blade tightly, Castiel exited the torture chamber and started running back through the corridors toward the throne room, hoping he wouldn't be too late.

Sounds of battle began to echo down the passage. Castiel ran faster, bursting into the Great Hall—which was now vacant—and then into the throne room. Gabriel was on the floor in the middle of the hall, struggling to prop himself up on his elbows as Michael stood over him. Raphael was slumped against one of the columns, having apparently been knocked out.

Michael was chanting something, and it took Castiel a split second to realize that threads of grace were swirling out from the head archangel and wrapping around Gabriel, whose face was contorted in pain.

Michael stopped whatever Enochian he'd been uttering. "Feel that, little brother? Your grace beginning to suffocate? I have to say I found Lucifer's idea despicable and heinous. But that's exactly what a traitor like you deserves." Michael crouched down in front of Gabriel. "Lucifer is also crude. This way your grace simply gets siphoned off to me."

Castiel's heart seized. He wouldn't… But he was. Gabriel's cheeks were puffing red and he was curling in on himself as Michael's grace bored into him, presumably to extract Gabriel's own essence. And the spell to do it had already been cast.

Which meant there was only one way to stop it now.

Castiel ran at Michael, who was too preoccupied to have noticed him yet, and tackled the archangel head on. With every ounce of strength he had, Castiel hurtled them both into the ether, ripping Michael as far away from Gabriel as possible.

They plummeted toward the earth in a grappling tangle of limbs. Castiel's angel blade got knocked from his hand, lost to the ethereal currents. He tried to wrench away from Michael, but the archangel grabbed at him fiercely, vengeance in his blazing eyes.

The slipstream spat them out in a vast plains. Castiel hit the ground with enough force that it left an impact trench and showered dirt into the air. His head was ringing, but he tried to get up, tried to orient himself in order to flee.

A hand grabbed him by the back of the neck and heaved him up, only to swing him around and slam him back into the ground. His vision blacked out for a split second, and when it cleared, he blinked up at Michael's stormy visage looming over him.

Castiel didn't have time to process how much trouble he was in before the archangel knelt down and punched him so hard in the side of the head that he felt his skull crack, and then darkness claimed him for good.

…

NEXT TIME

Castiel's gaze fell on a tall figure standing several feet away. Michael turned as though sensing he was awake.

"Good," the archangel said without preamble. "I don't want you to miss this."

A flicker of dread started to worm its way through Castiel's stomach. "Miss what?" he asked warily.

Michael stalked around him. "I've found a way to end this war once and for all, for Heaven to finally achieve victory over Hell and Earth." He paused. "Poetic, isn't it? That the faithful rebel who tried so hard to save everyone will now be the sacrifice to implement their destruction."


End file.
